CONNECTION AND ALIGNMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120172803A1
• Filed: 03/15/2012
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hanson, Ian B., Bente, Paul F. IV
• Granted Patent: US 9,039,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14208 with a programmable infusion control system, characterised by the infusion program
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14268 with a reusable and a disposable component
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 Needle inserters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/1072 with a septum present in the connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2207/00 Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work

Abstract

A delivery system for delivering fluidic media to a user having a second housing portion configured to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from a first housing portion, the first housing portion and the second housing portion configured to be slidable relative to each other to operatively engage each other; and a fluid connector supported by one the housing portions in a position to engage a reservoir supported by an other of the housing portions in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are slid relative to each other to operatively engage each other.

Claims

1-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A medical device for treating a user, the medical device comprising:

a first housing portion adapted to be carried by a user;

a second housing portion configured to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion;

a plurality of electrical contacts provided on at least one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the plurality of electrical contacts including a set of main electrical contacts and at least one other electrical contact;

a shorting mechanism provided on the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the shorting mechanism for interacting with the set of main electrical contacts; and

circuitry configured to provide a first signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the shorting mechanism interacts with the set of main electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts;

the circuitry further configured to provide a second signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the shorting mechanism interacts with the at least one other electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts.

37. The medical device of claim 36, wherein the first signal indicates that the first housing portion and the second housing portion have been connected.

38. The medical device of claim 37, wherein the second signal indicates that the first housing portion and the second housing portion have not been connected.

39. The medical device of claim 36,

wherein the set of main electrical contacts interact with the shorting mechanism in a case where the shorting mechanism contacts the set of main electrical contacts;

the circuitry configured to provide the first signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the shorting mechanism contacts the set of main electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts;

the circuitry further configured to provide the second signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the shorting mechanism contacts the at least one other electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts.

40. The medical device of claim 36,

the shorting mechanism having a plurality of ends, each of the ends for interacting with a respective main electrical contact of the set of main electrical contacts;

the circuitry configured to provide the first signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and each of the ends of the shorting mechanism interacts with the respective main electrical contact of the set of main electrical contacts;

the circuitry further configured to provide the second signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and at least one of the ends of the shorting mechanism interacts with the at least one other electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts.

41. The medical device of claim 40,

the set of main electrical contacts comprising a first main electrical contact and a second main electrical contact;

the plurality of ends of the shorting mechanism including a first end and a second end for interacting with the first main electrical contact and the second main electrical contact;

the circuitry configured to provide the first signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the first end and the second end of the shorting mechanism interacts with the first main electrical contact and the second main electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts;

the circuitry further configured to provide the second signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and at least one of the first end and the second end of the shorting mechanism interacts with the at least one other electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts.

42. The medical device of claim 41, the shorting mechanism having a first end and a second end for interacting only with the first main electrical contact and the second main electrical contact respectively.

43. The medical device of claim 36, wherein at least one of the at least one other electrical contact is arranged between the set of main electrical contacts.

44. The medical device of claim 36, the circuitry further configured to provide a third signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the shorting mechanism does not interact with the set of main electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts.

45. The medical device of claim 44, wherein the third signal indicates that the first housing portion and the second housing portion have not been connected.

46. The medical device of claim 44, wherein the second signal and the third signal are a same type of signal.

47. The medical device of claim 36, wherein at least some of the set of main electrical contacts are arranged to be outermost electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts.

48. The medical device of claim 36, wherein all of the at least one other electrical contact is arranged in between the set of main electrical contacts.

49. The medical device of claim 36, wherein the shorting mechanism is configured to establish an electrical connection between the set of main electrical contacts in a case where the shorting mechanism interacts with the set of main electrical contacts.

50. The medical device of claim 49, wherein the shorting mechanism comprises an electrical conductor.

51. The medical device of claim 36,

wherein the set of main electrical contacts is configured to be biased toward a first position and urgeable to a second position from the first position;

and

wherein the set of main electrical contacts is configured to be moved to the second position when the first housing portion is engaged with the second housing portion.

52. The medical device of claim 51, the device further comprising:

a bias member for biasing the set of main electrical contacts toward the first position.

53. The medical device of claim 52, wherein the bias member comprises a spring.

54. The medical device of claim 52, the bias member comprising individual bias members, each of the individual bias members for biasing one of the set of main electrical contacts toward the first position.

55. The medical device of claim 36,

wherein the plurality of the electrical contacts are configured to be biased toward a first position and urgeable to a second position from the first position;

and

wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are moved to the second position when the first housing portion is engaged with the second housing portion.

56. The medical device of claim 36,

wherein the shorting mechanism is configured to be biased toward a first position and urgeable to a second position from the first position;

and

wherein the shorting mechanism is configured to be moved to the second position when the first housing portion is engaged with the second housing portion.

57. The medical device of claim 36, one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion for supporting a reservoir having an interior volume for containing fluidic media.

58. The medical device of claim 36, wherein each of the main electrical contacts of the set of main electrical contacts comprise a conductive pad.

59. The medical device of claim 36,

wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are provided in the second housing portion, the second housing portion having a power source for providing power to electronics in the second housing portion;

and

wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical contacts are configured to be engageable with an electrical source for charging the power source in the second housing portion.

60. The medical device of claim 36,

wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are provided in the second housing portion, the second housing portion having programmable circuitry;

and

wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical contacts are configured to be engageable with an input device for programming the programmable circuitry in the second housing portion.

61. The medical device of claim 36, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts are provided in the second housing portion, the circuitry configured to determine a type of the second housing portion based on one of the plurality of electrical contacts and the shorting mechanism of the first housing portion.

62. The medical device of claim 36, wherein the shorting mechanism comprises a known resistance.

63. A method of making a medical device, the method comprising:

adapting a first housing portion to be carried by a user;

configuring a second housing portion to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion;

providing a plurality of electrical contacts on at least one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the plurality of electrical contacts including a set of main electrical contacts and at least one other electrical contact;

providing a shorting mechanism on the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion, the shorting mechanism for interacting with the set of main electrical contacts;

configuring circuitry to provide a first signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the shorting mechanism interacts with the set of main electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts; and

configuring the circuitry to provide a second signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the shorting mechanism interacts with the at least one other electrical contact of the plurality of electrical contacts.

64. A medical device for treating a user, the medical device comprising:

a first housing portion adapted to be carried by a user;

a second housing portion configured to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion;

a magnetic source having at least one of a certain magnetic field and a certain magnetic strength provided on at least one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion;

a sensor for detecting at least one of the certain magnetic field and the certain magnetic strength provided on the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion; and

circuitry configured to provide a first signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the sensor detects at least one of the certain magnetic field and the certain magnetic strength of the magnetic source;

the circuitry further configured to provide a second signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the sensor detects at least one of a magnetic field different from the certain magnetic field and a magnetic strength different from the certain magnetic strength of the magnetic source.

65. The medical device of claim 64, the sensor configured to provide a signal for activating control circuitry in a case where the sensor detects a gauss level exceeding a first pre-defined threshold value.

66. The medical device of claim 65, wherein the sensor comprises a magnetic threshold switch.

67. The medical device of claim 65, the device further comprising a second magnetic threshold switch configured to provide a signal for deactivating at least one of the control circuitry and the sensor in a case where the sensor detects a gauss level exceeding a second pre-defined threshold value, wherein the second pre-defined threshold value is greater than the first pre-defined threshold value.

68. The medical device of claim 64,

the magnetic source having a certain magnetic field direction;

the sensor for detecting the certain magnetic field direction;

the circuitry configured to provide the first signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the sensor detects the certain magnetic field direction.

69. The medical device of claim 68, the circuitry further configured to provide the second signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the sensor detects a magnetic field direction different from the certain magnetic field direction.

70. The medical device of claim 64, wherein the certain magnetic field includes a direction, the sensor configured for detecting the direction.

71. A method of making a medical device, the method comprising

adapting a first housing portion to be carried by a user;

configuring a second housing portion to be selectively operatively engaged with and disengaged from the first housing portion;

providing a magnetic source having at least one of a certain magnetic field and a certain magnetic strength on at least one of the first housing portion and the second housing portion;

providing a sensor for detecting at least one of the certain magnetic field and the certain magnetic strength on the other of the first housing portion and the second housing portion;

configuring circuitry to provide a first signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the sensor detects at least one of the certain magnetic field and the certain magnetic strength of the magnetic source; and

configuring the circuitry to provide a second signal in a case where the first housing portion and the second housing portion are brought together and the sensor detects at least one of a magnetic field different from the certain magnetic field and a magnetic strength different from the certain magnetic strength of the magnetic source.